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Re-entry and Readmission Guidelines

Definitions

Re-entry: When a student who has been dismissed for unsatisfactory academic performance is permitted by the Admissions Committee to continue his or her education at the point he or she was dismissed. All hours attempted and grades earned remain intact on the student’s record. The student must meet whatever terms and conditions the Admissions Committee in its discretion may impose.

Readmission: When a student who has been dismissed for unsatisfactory academic performance is permitted by the Admissions Committee to begin his or her legal education from the beginning two or more years after the student is notified of his or her dismissal. All hours and grades earned will continue to be reflected on the student’s transcript, however, the hours and grades will not count toward the student’s degree progress. The student must meet whatever terms and conditions the Admissions Committee imposes.

Guidelines

Re-entry of Dismissed Students: A student who is dismissed for unsatisfactory academic performance may petition the Admission Committee for re-entry. All petitions must be in writing and submitted to the dean for Student Affairs, or his or her designate, by the deadline specified in the student’s dismissal letter. Petitions must be addressed to the Admissions Committee. Re-entry may be granted by the Admissions Committee if the student presents evidence that the student’s dismissal was caused by a serious, unanticipated disruption which was unrelated to the student’s capacity to complete the required course of study successfully. The disruption relied upon must have been an event of sufficient seriousness that a student with reasonable aptitude for legal studies would neither have foreseen and prepared for it nor would have been able simultaneously to cope with the event and pursue legal studies in a satisfactory manner.

A student relying on a serious, unanticipated disruption must present evidence of the relationship between the disruption and the academic deficiency, that the cause of the disruption no longer exists, that the disruption is unlikely to recur, and that the student has the capacity to complete the required course of study successfully. In no case will re-entry be granted if the Committee concludes that the petitioner lacks sufficient capacity to complete the required work successfully, even though the student may have proved evidence of a serious, unanticipated disruption. If re-entry is granted, the Committee shall have the right to impose whatever terms and conditions the Committee in its discretion may determine. Any determination made by the Committee pursuant to this guideline is final. A denial of a petition for re-entry does not prevent a student for applying for readmission at a later date.

Readmission of Dismissed Students: A student who has been dismissed for unsatisfactory academic performance may apply for readmission de novo to join a first-year class entering the law school two or more years after the student is notified of his or her dismissal. Application for readmission de novo must be made through the normal application process. The Admissions Committee may readmit the reapplying student if the members of the Committee believe there is a substantial likelihood that the applicant is presently able to successfully complete law school. In making this decision, the Committee shall consider the applicant’s post-dismissal course work, work activity, or study, and the applicant’s GPA and LSAT. If readmission is granted, the Committee shall have the right to impose whatever terms and conditions the Committee in its discretion may determine. The student must meet all graduation requirements in effect at the time of his or her readmission. Any determination made by the Committee pursuant to this guideline is final.